The Convention and Visitors Advisory Board has decided to partner with a Manhattan company, Civic Plus, for creating a new website for the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The board voted 4-0 with two abstentions Jan. 20 to go with Civic Plus instead of Emporia's IM Design. Board chair Diane Trofholz says that was because of three factors -- annual fees were listed as $13,000 less than the IM Design bid, Civic Plus' established reputation of working with convention and visitors bureaus across the country and perceived ease of so-called "back end," or update, work.

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Board members listened to separate presentations from the firms this week before confirming their original votes, according to Interim CVB Director Susan Rathke.

IM Design partner Shawn Honea said his company used its time to address what he called misinformation about the difference in price, saying some "a la carte" options were part of IM Design's recommended maintenance package -- which cost virtually the same as the Civic Plus bid for annual fees.

Honea said IM Design plans to continue its partnership with the CVB on other projects as it has for nearly a dozen years.